Derren Brown's former cleaner was jailed for 16 months today for stealing blank cheques from the illusionist's home which were cashed in for more than £33,000.

Former teacher Rocio Pavon-Navarrete, 47, previously admitted stealing two signed cheques from the entertainer's home while he was absent.

Brown - famed for 'reading people's minds' - was away on his 2010 Enigma tour at the time.

She pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court last month to one charge of theft.

The cheques were signed by Brown's manager, James Cooper, but were left blank and stored at his home in Westminster for use by his assistant while the TV star and Mr Cooper were away on business.

Famed at being able to predict future events - including the winning lottery numbers - Derren Brown failed to spot his cleaner stealing from him

Pavon-Navarrete, of Greenwich, south-east London, took the cheques when her two businesses began to struggle.

The
cleaner then passed them to friend Bernard Ayanbanjo, 48, who paid them
into his account banking one for £11,500 and the other for £21,550.35.

After sentencing her to 16 months' imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court, the judge said that she had lied and her only regret was being caught.

Pavon-Navarrete was dismissed by Mr Brown in June 2010 but he did not realise the money had gone missing until his accountant noticed unusual transactions six months later.

Bernard Ayanbanjo (right) and Rocio Pavon-Navarrete (left) faced the court after £33,000 was plundered from the star's account

Mr Brown, who is famed for his ability
to predict events including the winning lottery numbers, was only
alerted it might be her after receiving a handwritten letter casting
doubt on the honesty of his cleaners.

However but it took police almost a year to make an arrest despite the fact that she was always the ‘prime suspect.’